Church of Christ, Swansea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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United Church of Christ, Swansea
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1113 G.A.R. Highway, Swansea, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1833 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| MPS | Swansea MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000075 |
| Added to NRHP | February 16, 1990 |
The United Church of Christ, Swansea is a very old and important church in Swansea, Massachusetts. People also know it as the First Christian Congregational Church or the Swansea White Church. This historic building is located along United States Route 6.
The church building you see today was built in 1833. It was designed in the Greek Revival style, which looks like ancient Greek temples. The group of people who worship here has been meeting since 1680, making it a very old congregation! In 1990, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special place worth protecting. The church is part of the United Church of Christ family.
This church is famous for being independent. It never had a legal connection with the town. This means the town did not support it with taxes.
The Church's Design and Story
The United Church of Christ, Swansea, stands at the corner of GAR Highway and Maple Avenue. It is in the middle of Swansea. This building is made of wood and has one and a half stories. It faces south and has a roof that slopes down on two sides. A tall, three-part tower rises above the church.
The front of the church has five sections. Six tall, flat columns, called pilasters, divide these sections. The main entrance has double doors under a rounded arch. Windows on the first floor have a special fan shape at the top. This fan shape looks like a lancet arch. You can see this detail again in the middle of the triangular gable above the entrance. It also appears above the windows on the sides of the church.
The tower has three parts. The first part is plain. Above it, there is a railing and pointed decorations at the corners. These surround the smaller belfry section. The belfry is where the church bells are. The railing and pointed decorations are repeated at the top of the belfry. On top of the belfry is an eight-sided cupola. This cupola has openings with louvers, which are like angled slats.
The main part of the church building extends to the back. A newer section was added to the east from these back parts.
A Long History
The church building was constructed between 1830 and 1833. The group of people who worship here is one of the oldest in New England. It is special because it did not get money from the town in colonial times. Back then, churches often received tax money from the town.
The first recorded church services happened in 1680. However, the group officially formed in 1693. Their first meetinghouse was built in 1720. The current church is the second building for this congregation. It was built after the roof of their first building was blown off.
See also
